"Jude, can I speak to you?" Darius asked.
"Yeah," she said quietly, taking her headphones off.
"I heard you talking to Kwest about moving."
"You heard that?" Her face paled.
"Yes, and I don't blame you. Look, I have a studio in L.A., and if you want, I can transfer you there."
"You would? I mean, you'd do that for me?"
"Well, I do'nt want to lose my star artist because Tom is deciding to be dumb."
Jude closed her eyes and looked down at the ground
"Jude, don't worry about it, it's not a big deal."
"Thanks Darius."
"Anytime girl. Now get back to work. You're still here until you graduate."
Jude smiled and turned back toward Studio A.
The night air breathes
But not so easy as before
Did you notice
Did you take the time to listen
To my breath or to my words
When I spoke I explained my feelings
And my reasons for the way I love you
I'm getting to the point
Chorus
And I feel like I do
Even more now that I'm leaving
Well, I feel just like I do when I'm with you
And she's so sweet and
I'm leaving thinkin
How I'm barely breathin'
Notice how your every look gives me tingles
And I wonder if your listening to what I'm thinking
We won't fade away
And I feel like
I do even more now that I'm leaving
Well, I feel just like I do when I'm with you
And I feel like I do even more now that
I'm leaving you, I'm leaving you
So what am I to do
My feelings have not fallen away
Your my every thought yeah
Everything will go on it's own way
Everything is ok we can try to make it
Everything will go, it's all right baby
It's all right baby, its all right baby boy
Why don't you stay
My feelings have not passed away
You're my every thought here, everything will
"That sounded really good," Mason said, walking into the sound booth.
"Not too bubble-gum pop?"
"You couldn't be bubble-gum pop if you wanted to."
Jude smiled. "Thanks."
"Tommy off the album?"
Jude solemnly nodded. "Darius said he was a distraction."
"Go figure."
"What does that mean?"
"Never mind."
"Jude, that rocked," Kwest said. "How all we have to do is mix. Uh, Tommy told me that you told him he was off the album."
"I did."
"Well he's pissed off at me not because I didn't tell him."
"Well join the club, he's pissed at me because I didn't argue with Darius about it."
Kwest sighed and motioned toward the door. "Why don't you and Mason go get some coffee or something and come back in about two hours."
"Okay."
Mason and Jude walked out of the building and down the street to the small coffee shop the G Major employees usually haunted. Jude sat down at a small table while Mason ordered coffee for himself and a mocha cappucino for her.
"Thanks," she said when he handed her the styrofoam cup.
"You're really down about this whole Tommy thing, aren't you?"
"I guess," she solemnly said as she took a sip of the hot drink.
"Why don't you just tell him how you feel?"
"Where did that come from?"
"It's a logical statement. You're legal now, so what's the big deal?"
"I thought that on my eighteenth birthday, everything would be magical, like a fairytale. Tommy was going to tell me he loved me, and everything would be perfect. But, things couldn't have turned out further from perfect. Tommy didn't even come to my party. I got a voice-mail, telling me he was in Cancun. I know it sounds childish, but that hurt."
"I know, I was the one who found you in Studio B crying. And, it doesn't sound childish."
"You know the song I recorded today?"
"Yeah."
"It was the first song I've recorded since my birthday, that was four months ago. I can't look at him, without thinking what should be, and why he doesn't love me. He's dating all these different girls and doesn't even pay attention to me. What is so wrong with me?" Jude asked, on the verge of tears.
"Nothing is wrong with you. I don't know what's up Tommy's ass, but he's stupid if he lets you go."
"Everyone tells me, 'Oh, he loves you, just give it time.' It doens't make any sense. If he loves me so much, why is he dating all those stick-thin model chicks?"
"He's not supposed to like you Jude. He is, was your producer."
"So, like that's mattered before," she said, wiping tears from her eyes.
"Let's get back to work. Kwest is probably done mixing by now."
"Yeah," she said quietly.
"So what do you think?" Kwest asked, leaning back in his chair.
"I think you are the best sound engineer and the best producer in the world," Jude said, hugging Kwest.
"I'm glad I was so easily replaced," Tommy said bitterly.
CREDIT goes to Teddy Geiger for the song